Show Toppers: ‘Room 222’ (1969-’74)

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Welcome to Walt Whitman High and ‘Room 222,’ 1969-1974

Room 222 first hit the airwaves on ABC in September of 1969 and ran until January, 1974. The show, set at a fictional Los Angeles High School, dealt with hot issues of the day and featured a large cast of teachers and students and offered up choice roles for a variety of guest stars.

Room 222 started out weak in the ratings but after grabbing three Emmy Awards in 1970; Best New Series; Best Supporting Actor (Michael Constantine); and Best Supporting Actress (Karen Valentine), the series took off.

Cast regulars included Lloyd Haynes as Pete Dixon, Denise Nicholas as Liz McIntyre, and David Jolliffe, Eric Laneuville and Judy Strangis (Electra Woman and Dyna Girl) as students. Guest stars included Mark Hamill, Bruno Kirby and Cindy Williams.

Room 222 Wiki, IMDb

A 1970s star is born. Karen Valentine. ‘Room 222.’

Previously, on Show Toppers: Angie (’79-’80)

Mood Music: Devo, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’

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‘Baby baby baby baby baby baby…’

Devo first recorded and released their Rolling Stone’s cover song, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” in the summer of 1977. The band’s version of the angst-ridden song really gained traction when they re-recorded it for their debut L.P., Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, and performed a live version on TV’s Saturday Night Live in October of 1978.

I can remember seeing Devo for the first time on SNL and having my little 11-year-old mind blown. There was a buzz around school the next day of the “Did you see that weird band last night?” variety. I had, and I became a huge fan. Enjoy the official video below.

Previously, on Mood Music: Talking Heads, ‘Life During Wartime’

Trailer Tuesday: The Culpepper Cattle Co.

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Gary Grimes and his drop-gallon hat in The Culpepper Cattle Co., 1972

The Culpepper Cattle Co., written and directed by Dick Richards, released to theaters in April of 1972.

This Revisionist Western stars Gary Grimes (Summer of ’42) as teenage farmboy Ben Mockridge and Billy Green Bush (Five Easy Pieces) as Frank Culpepper. Young Ben gets hired on for his first cattle drive and trouble rears its ugly head.

The tagline for the movie reads: “How many men do you have to kill before you become the great American cowboy?”

The Culpepper Cattle Co. Wiki, IMDb
Culpepper review at Every70sMovie

Previously, on Trailer Tuesday: Lucky Lady

Music for Monday: Wild Cherry, ‘Play That Funky Music’

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‘Play That Funky Music,’ Wild Cherry shake The Midnight Special, 1976

Happy Monday! Ready to get tha funk out? Wild Cherry released the “Play That Funky Music” single in late spring/early summer of 1976 and it rose all the way to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on September 18th, ’76.

Here’s the band performing live, in a funky fashion, on The Midnight Special.

Rob Parissi’s pre-show checklist:
Perm – check!, shiny clothing – check!, chest hair on display – check!, gold medallion – check!
Let’s get funky!

Previously, on Music for Monday: The Osmonds

Funny Cars!: 1970s drag racing footage

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Life ain’t a drag when the cars are funny! Blue Max vs. The Hustler, vintage drag racing 1970-’75

It’s “Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!” Time to put your feet up, turn back time and enjoy 10 minutes of vintage 1970s drag racing footage.

This awesome video compilation shows off various Funny Car and dragster events – including the NHRA Winternationals, UDRA Spring Nationals and IHRA Pro-Am Nationals – from 1970 through 1975. Wait for the green and…GO!

(Thanks, YouTube poster MaccaIsntDead)

School Movies: ‘When You Grow Up’ (1973)

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Plan for the 1980s with “When You Grow Up,” 1973

Here’s a nifty time capsule of a movie you would have watched in elementary school in the early-to-mid 1970s. When You Grow Up was made by FilmsWest, Inc. in 1973 and shows off 11-minutes of Los Angeles and its inhabitants while demonstrating what jobs and careers kids had to look forward to.

No nodding off now! If you stay quiet and watch the entire movie I’ll let you run the projector next time.

Try dragging one of these computers down to Starbucks, Mr. Bigshot!

Contemplating the wheel of life…

(Source: Archive.org)